


Mindful Education

by I_AM_THE_LIVING_DEAD



Series: Isn't It Love? [9]
Category: Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Implied Past Self-Harm, Implied past eating disorder, League as a Dysfunctional But Great Family, M/M, Minor Drug Use, Transgender Shigaraki Tomura | Shimura Tenko
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:28:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21700039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_AM_THE_LIVING_DEAD/pseuds/I_AM_THE_LIVING_DEAD
Summary: Dabi and Tomura consider telling the League about their relationship, and Tomura goes through a brief flashback of darker times.
Relationships: Dabi/Shigaraki Tomura | Shimura Tenko
Series: Isn't It Love? [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1524776
Comments: 3
Kudos: 134





	Mindful Education

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize for not updating as frequently as I used to, but I've been really busy and dealing with major creativity block. So, I made a decision: I'm putting "When the Party's Over" and "Edible Arrangements" on hold to focus on this series and "Can You Hear His Heartbeat?" The ones on hold will eventually be continued.   
> Anyway, I'm kinda frustrated with the newest BNHA chapter, "Shirakumo." My last CYHHH chapter had Hawks interrogating Kurogiri, but this newest chapter says Kurogiri won't talk. So, I'm making it so he could only speak to Hawks because of Ujiko's future plans. I'm figuring it out lol.   
> Anyway, sorry for the long-ass note. Enjoy Part 9 of "Isn't It Love?", and if you liked it, please tell me what you thought. Thank you!

“Should I be concerned?” 

The question was casual with a hint of mischief, with no actual concern being present. Dabi took a drag of his joint, the smoke seeping out between his staples, and he leaned over the other. He quirked an eyebrow in mock contemplation, and eventually said, “Probably. But, that doesn’t mean you have to be. Just chill.” 

Usually, Dabi didn’t get high because he had to focus on missions, but tonight was an exception. A month before, Tomura engaged in sex for the first time, so now, he was trying another new activity. Hesitantly, he took the joint from Dabi, copying his companion’s previous action. The fumes stung his senses and made his eyes water, but he resisted the urge to cough, keeping his mouth shut. 

The patchwork man chuckled at Tomura’s strained expression, taking the joint back. “Damn, you actually did it”, he commented, rolling over to crush it in the ashtray on his nightstand. Dabi’s room was an exact replica of his one at the bar: an unmade bed, messy floor, and constant scent of cigarette smoke, whiskey, and cologne. The floor mainly had laundry or empty bottles scattered about, but Tomura had had “sleepovers” multiple times now, so he had adjusted to the disorganization. 

This bedroom was likely temporary, because they couldn’t stay in one place for too long. But, in the meantime, it was theirs, and only theirs. It was a safe place, like a confessional of sorts, and entirely private. Unlike their fellow League members who had no problem barging into each other’s rooms, they never dared to enter Dabi’s without permission. Irritatingly, they were reckless enough to barge in on Tomura, even after he had threatened them numerously. 

Dabi kissed Tomura’s cheek and propped himself up with his elbow. “So, are we gonna tell the others soon?”, he asked, fidgeting with Tomura’s curly hair. The younger man pursed his lips, and then frowned. “Why do they need to know?”, he inquired, sitting up to search for his phone and boxers among the covers. Clad in a shirt belonging to Dabi that was two sizes too big for Tomura and nothing else, his boxers, jeans, and binder were scattered about from their hour of fun. 

Being the annoying asshole that he is, Dabi hugged Tomura from behind and pulled him back down, despite the other’s protests. “They don’t need to know, but I want them to so we don’t have to keep sneaking around with this shit”, Dabi explained, stealthily sliding a hand under Tomura’s thigh and kneading the flesh. Tomura gasped quietly and flushed in embarrassment, and hissed, “Quit it! We just fucked; I’m done for the night.” 

Dabi huffed in disappointment, mumbling, “You didn’t say that the first time.” That earned him a smack to the top of the head, and Tomura found his phone near his feet. Unlocking it, he scrolled through random articles on the Heroes, the screen illuminating his face in the otherwise dark room. 

And so, the patchwork man just rested his head in the crook of Tomura’s neck, the sensitive skin adorned with bites and small bruises that Tomura would masterfully hide the next day. For awhile, they laid in silence, and with each minute that passed, Dabi grew more restless. Why, he didn’t know, but he needed to do something physical. 

Standing up, he strolled out of the bedroom, leaving Tomura to his devices. Checking to ensure that none of his comrades would see him, he speed-walked to the self-made kitchen. Their current living space didn’t come with kitchen appliances, so they had a portable stove and microwave (which made instant ramen and fishcakes the norm), among many non-perishable foods. 

Dabi rummaged through their crate of snacks, finding a box of cereal that was more sugar than flakes. He knew Toga had gotten it, but he was hungry and didn’t care if it made her mad. After she stole his staple gun and attempted to staple Twice to the wall, she owed Dabi big time. 

The only carton of milk they had was kept in a miniature cooler Spinner had discovered, and Dabi poured himself a generous amount of cereal and milk before going back to his room. When he returned, he was met with Tomura grazing his fingers over the part of his thigh that Dabi had touched, eyes vaguely hollow. 

He stopped when Dabi entered, but the older man still asked about it when he got situated on the mattress. Tomura ignored the question, changing the subject with, “You do realize that you just walked through the base naked, right?” Dabi shrugged nonchalantly. “They’ve all seen this at some point. In case you forgot, we only have one bathroom”, he said, and Tomura groaned, “Don’t remind me.” 

There were multiple occasions where someone almost walked in on him pissing or showering, which would have made for one hellish interaction. Tomura didn’t want anyone aside from Dabi knowing that he was once “someone else”. 

“Anyway, you didn’t answer my question: what were you doing with your leg?”, Dabi asked, raising his eyebrows mischievously. Tomura didn’t appear to react well, with him grimacing and averting his eyes. “I think you already know”, he uttered, fingers twitching with the growing urge to scratch his neck. Dabi’s lighthearted demeanor faded. 

Yeah. That. 

The scars were nothing more than faded imprints these days, but they littered Tomura’s thighs, forearms, hips, and stomach. The repetitive ones such as those were self-inflicted for a number of reasons: his thighs and hips were because of his dysphoria; his stomach was because of his past need to be thinner that had resulted in late nights of vomiting in the bathroom as Kurogiri rubbed his back and encouraged him to eat again; the ones on his arms were from his wild anxiety and mania that, at times, overwhelmed him to the point of a breakdown. 

Because of those reasons, he despised his brain. Yes, he had an abnormally-high intelligence and incredible analytical skills and an unbeatable memory, but his mind (though he would never admit it) wasn’t a steel trap. Dealing with bipolar mood swings that would send him into episodes of frantic creativity or utter exhaustion was hard, even with medication, but he had grown accustomed to it. 

The other problem was that Sensei had never taken him to therapy. Tomura had had to talk with Ujiko a couple times as a teenager, but that mysterious doctor was unsettling, and was only interested in picking apart Tomura’s psyche for his own sick desires rather than actually aid the young criminal. Plus, his overall demeanor was…off. 

“Hey, earth to mophead!”, a smoky voice called, and Tomura snapped out of his trance, realizing he had been fixated on the adjacent wall. Dabi gave him a concerned look, setting his now-empty bowl aside. “You good?”, he asked softly, looping an arm around Tomura’s waist and pulling him ever closer. 

“Yeah, I’m good. I didn’t mean to space out”, Tomura apologized, which was rare, coming from him. Tomura rested his cheek on Dabi’s bare chest, listening to the soothing lullaby that was his heartbeat. It was steady and strong, and Tomura could have fallen asleep from it if it weren’t for what he was about to say. 

“Hey Dabi?”, he mumbled, glancing up. The pyromaniac hummed in response. “I think…I think I’m fine with telling them”, he decided, and Dabi gave Tomura’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. They had only been dating for a month, but both secretly felt like this could last. 

It was sappy and cheesy and a total cliché, but neither gave a damn. 

....

“I knew it! It was so obvious!” Tomura blanched before his cheeks flushed in humiliation, and he hurriedly whipped his head in the other direction, while Dabi didn’t really react. Instead, he appeared interested, and asked lazily, “How’d you know?” Toga giggled, cat-like eyes glinting evilly, and Tomura growled, “Toga, what the fuck did you do?” 

She raised her hands in surrender, claiming, “I only know from what I heard when passing by your bedroom! You know, some talking, some moaning; that sorta stuff.” Her leader pinched the bridge of his nose while Dabi laughed his deep, smoky laugh at Tomura’s reaction. 

Sako, Twice, Kurogiri, and Spinner confessed that they had suspected something was happening behind the scenes with the two, and Tomura screeched, “Then why didn’t any of you fucking say anything?!” “Because we didn’t need to?”, Spinner tried, cocking his head, and Dabi just laughed more while Tomura started threatening everyone for no particular reason. Dabi could fix that. 

Snatching Tomura’s shirt collar, he yanked the smaller man forward, smashing their lips together. Toga squealed like a fangirl while Spinner and Kurogiri covered their eyes. Meanwhile, Twice switched back-and-forth between, “That’s fucking gross, man! Get a room!”, and, “What a beautiful display! Go get married!” Sako just chuckled, rolling his eyes. 

Young goddamn romance.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, kudos, and bookmarks are appreciated. You guys keep me going, so thank you! Have an awesome weekend.


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